Indianapolis Colts tight end Brandon Williams taken off field on stretcher vs. Denver Broncos

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts tight end Brandon Williams had to be taken off the field on a stretcher in the second quarter of Thursday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Williams was taken to a local hospital because of a head injury, the team said. He did have movement in his extremities.

Williams, the Colts’ primary backup tight end, suffered the injury while blocking Broncos linebacker Deiontrez Mount on a punt early in the quarter. The two players collided and Mount appeared to try to soften Williams’ landing.

Williams remained on the ground the entire time that the medical staff tended to him. Many of the players from both teams took a knee while Williams was strapped into a stretcher and gingerly loaded into a cart. The entire Colts team came on the field and went to Williams before he was taken off the field.

Williams, who has nine catches for 121 yards this season, had his college career at Oregon come to an end a year early because of a spinal condition.

In the summer of 2011, Williams was told he had spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column. Then-Oregon coach Chip Kelly told Williams doctors would not give him approval to play because of concern for more injury.

In 2013, an MRI showed the condition had improved, and doctors told him there was nothing to prevent him from playing in the NFL.